How to Successfully Do A Sunrise Hike Up Mt. Townsend
Mt. Townsend is one of my most favorite day-hiking destinations that I have found in Olympic National Park "so far". There is just something about the top of Mt. Townsend that reminds me of the epic mountain landscapes featured in The Lord of the Rings. It has that unreal fantasy vibe that feels as though it could be the filming location for a different world. The larger than life peaks have always been absolutely stunning to me during the day. So when my younger brother and his friend recently asked if I would like to do a sunrise hike up to this incredible place my answer was a definite "Hell, yes." Below I will be sharing my experience and some tips I have gathered on How to Successfully do a Sunrise Hike up Mt. Townsend so you can plan your own pre-dawn hiking adventure to this gorgeous spot.
1) Research Ahead of Time
This is the type of hike that is really good to read up on before just sprinting out the door to go hike in the dark. Mt. Townsend, located in the more remote Olympic National Park, is a much less populated trail in comparison to many of the hikes dotted along the I-90 corridor + other trails closer to Seattle. More than likely when you are venturing up this trail in the pre-dawn hours to reach the top for sunrise you will be completely on your own without running into a single human being during the duration of your hike. Make sure you know what to expect before going. Have the 10 Hiking Essentials and be prepared for handling things on your own.
Questions To Consider Before You Go
- When was the last trip report?
- Is there still snow?
- What is the temperature?
- What is the weather forecast?
- What time is sunrise?
- Do I need micro spikes, ice axe, or snowhoes?
- Do I have proper hiking clothing and boots?
- Do I have bear spray?
- Have I told someone where I am going and what time I should be back?
- Do I have a headlamp and extra batteries or other flashlight?
2) Figure Out What Time The Sun Will Rise
Researching what time the sun will rise is always a good idea. This can help you plan accordingly so you can give yourself extra time getting to the trail and hiking up. If you go through all the effort of planning a sunrise hike it would be a shame to miss it due to a timing miscalculation.
Quick Tip: We arrived at the trailhead at 2:24 AM and made it to the top of Mt. Townsend at 4:56 AM. Right as it was just starting to get light out.
3) Set a Time and Stick To It
Once you have done your pre-hike research and know what time the sun will rise, how long it will take you to drive to the trail head, and how fast you can hike to the top, then it's time to set your alarm. When that alarm goes off, don't hit the snooze. Instead get out of bed and start hiking. The views are worth it!
4) Go With Others
I know many people enjoy hiking solo but when hiking at night you should consider going with friends or finding a group. There are all sorts of unforeseen circumstances that can occur anytime while hiking out on the trail but there are some additional unanticipated dangers to hiking higher elevations at night. Having friends with you can be lifesaving.
5) Beware of Night Hiking Dangers
Probably the number one danger to hiking in the dark is tripping over roots, rocks, or other hazards from the lack of visibility. Many hikers have fallen down cliffs, gotten twisted ankles or worse while hiking. Aside from injuries from stumbling in the dark, one of the most common risks to night hiking is losing the trail. With limited visibility, it is very easy to start following a deer or goat path farther into the wilderness. An additional concern for hiking at night is other human beings. There is always the risk of running into a creeper, serial killer, or accidentally being mistaken for game by a hunter. Then lastly, wildlife. Hiking at night significantly increases your chances of running into wild animals.
- Tripping or Injury
- Getting Lost
- People
- Wildlife
In Summary Go With Others
So my recommendation to anyone wanting to experience a beautiful sunrise hike or doing any hiking during the night is to find friends to hike with and play it safe even though statistically you are most likely to injure yourself from tripping over a root than being eaten by mountain lion. Just for saving your sorry-root-tripping-self, go with others.
6) Visit Your Destination During The Day Before Hiking At Night
Having someone in your party who has done the trail before in daylight hours can be hugely beneficial. Although the trail going up Mt. Townsend itself is very well maintained and easy to follow in the dark, getting to the trailhead to start this hike is not so easy.
Getting to Mt. Townsend:
As of 2019 If you type Mt. Townsend Trailhead into your phone, the directions may not be 100% reliable. I would highly suggest looking at a map before you go and be aware that your GPS may not work. The Best way I have found is using directions to navigate to Penny Creek Road by the Quilcene Ranger station. From Penny Creek Road you can navigate your way to the trail the old school way of reading the directions yourself instead of relying on your phone to tell you where to go. Perhaps in a few years Tech will catch up, but momentarily this trail requires a screen shot of the written directions or a print out.
Finding the trailhead in the dark is very confusing. If It was my first time trying to find this trailhead at night It would have taken much much longer. There are many roads that look like they are the road that you should take but they are not. After Penny Creek Rock Quarry you will take the left when you reach the fork onto Forest Road 27. You will continue down FR27 13.5 miles before turning left onto FR27-190. The signs for the other roads are all very similar. Make sure that it is only forest road 27 or 190 on the sign. All the others are not the right path.
Co-ordinates: 47.8564, -123.0359
7) Pack Your Gear Ahead of Time
Scrambling to get all your gear together is not the best plan, especially at night when its more critical to have certain gear such as headlamps and flashlights for instance. Below I have gathered some gear ideas of what you might want to have in your pack when doing a sunrise hike up Mt. Townsend.
Not Sure What To Pack for a Sunrise Hike Up Mt. Townsend?
Right Here We Have Gathered Together Some Ideas.
What To Pack:
- Headlamp Flashlight
- Extra Batteries
- Waterproof Flashlight
- Trekking Poles
- Medical Kit
- Snacks
- Tissues (for your nose)
- Handheld Satellite Communicator with GPS Navigation
- Bear Spray
- MICROspikes Traction for Your Hiking Boots
- A Good Pair of Hiking Boot's
- Water Reservoir for Hydration Backpacks
- Hiking Backpack
8) Bring Warm Clothing
Mt. Townsend sits at a elevation of 6260 feet. When doing a sunrise hike here, even during the summer months it will be pretty cold. Dressing in layers and wearing synthetic quick-drying fabrics is a absolute must. Below I have a list with different clothing you may want to bring with you on your Sunrise Hike.
Ideas On What To Wear:
9) Tell Someone Where You are going and What Time You Expect to Be Back
This should be a habit with all hikes. It is a good Idea to tell people where you are going and what time to expect you to be home by. This way if something were to go wrong, search and rescue can reach you hopefully in a more timely manner.
10) Bring Some Luxury Items For Enjoying The Sunrise
You have hiked all the way up Mt. Townsend in the cold and the dark and it's now time to sit back and enjoy that sunrise. Now, yes you can hike with the bare minimum, but having a few creature comforts while sitting in the dark waiting for the sun to come up is much more enjoyable. Myself being among the stereotypical Washington State coffee addicts, I lugged up everything needed to brew some morning coffee, and I tell you what! Every bit of extra pack weight to have coffee in the morning was a hundred percent worth it with no regrets. It was absolutely freezing out and without gripping onto a steaming mug of hot coffee I would probably not have stayed as long watching the sunrise due to the cold. My hiking companions were also extremely appreciative for some morning coffee. I also recommend having a comfy down compact camp blanket to wrap around your legs while sitting at the top. The fact is Mt. Townsend at night is extremely cold.
Great Items To Have While Enjoying The Sunrise
- Down Compact Camp Blanket With Stuff Sack
- Camping Stove For Making Coffee or Hot Chocolate on the mountain
- Fuel for your camp stove
- Stormproof Matches to light your camp stove
- Hot Chocolate Packs
- Instant Coffee
- Carabiner Hiking Mug
- Titanium Long Handled Spoon
- Camera to Capture that Beautiful Sunrise
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